For conferences, much electrical and electronical equipment is needed and indeed among others, microphones, loudspeakers, desk lamps, telecommunication apparatus, etc., whereby the participants can announce decisions or transmit or receive information. The required apparatus and equipment is driven by intermediate or low voltage. The conductors are accordingly to be separately arranged and accommodated. The apparatusses and their parts are to be held, accommodated and connected. The many apparatusses and the like must be accessible and convenient for the user. They must, moreover, satisfy the electro-acoustical requirements. As different requirements must be met, the apparatusses have heretofore for the most part, been accommodated in different positions on the table. Occasionally, microphones in some cases combined with loudspeakers or lights, have been positioned on the table and control panels of electronic communication equipment have been arranged in another position. Insofar as these have been combined, corresponding housing has been provided on the longitudinal side of the table, opposite the participant as individual casings or as continuous channels whereby also conductors are accommodated in such channels.
In equipping normal worktables with electrical and electronic apparatus, the problem of accommodating the cables and plug-in connections is well known. Thereto there have been many proposals to lead the cables in hollow spaces in the frame parts or in separate cable channels, which are provided on the longitudinal side of the table or on the cross side in a cross beam, also so formed that covers on the table top can be taken away for connection and then brought back in position. Thus, according to DE-GM 19 80 884, there is provided in a writing table top a cutout which is closable by a cover and whereby on the underside of the table top there are provided carrier plates for plug sockets for supplying low voltage. Lead-out openings between the cover and the cutout allow bringing out the electrical connecting conductors. This arrangement is suitable only for a range of voltages and requires a cutout in the normal table top. For conference table installations, similar cutouts for passage of the cable have likewise been provided without their being described in publications. A similar arrangement of plug sockets in the sidewall of a writing table is known through DE-OS 25 25 498. The wall carrying these plug sockets extends to the table top height or above and is arranged on the shorter end side of the writing table. In the sidewall there are plug sockets which are accessible from above or from the side. Connection facilities are thereby provided in convenient reach without disturbing the working surface, however, without any apparatus or control elements.
From DE-OS 20 09 596 there is known a writing table of which two side regions adjacent the work surface proper have slidable plates over enclosures which are slidable crosswise to the longitudinal direction and under which there are provided compartments for electrical equipment and the like which are covered by sliding the plates back. The apparatus can thereby be available when required or can be covered. However, such an arrangement is unsuitable for a conference table.
The many proposals for providing electrical apparatus and conductors for a work table and writing table have heretofore had no suggestion for significant design for providing for electrical apparatus and conductors on a conference table installation. The requirements for a conference table are of a special nature. For one thing, there must be provided a wide variety of indicating and control devices, which correspond in number to the number of participant positions and are connected with one another and/or with a central control unit. Moreover, an intermediate voltage supply must be provided for lights and other intermediate voltage apparatus. Finally, ash trays, glass holders, and the like must be accommodated. For a conference table installation several flat tables are as a rule joined. These are occasionally also used for other purposes so that the electrical conference devices must be removed from the table and be annexed and connected as required. If the connecting conductors must then be inserted through openings in the table and connected, the different apparatus with the different voltage supplies and control devices, a considerable amount of work and time is required for the assembling and connecting.